Europa League cannon fodder. That was likely the thought of most football-minded people when Rangers made the group stages.
Steven Gerrard’s stars knocked out four different sides to make the groups. Shkupi, Osijek, Maribor, and Ufa were all put to the sword in the early days of the Gerrard reign. That alone felt like a miracle given the embarrassment of Progres Niederkorn last year.
It meant a narrative was already pre-written for when Rangers made the groups. They would be delighted to get there and anything from that point onwards was just a bonus.
Not anymore.
The way everything is shaping up for Rangers at the moment, everything from here on out has to be regarded as an opportunity. The Gers have a glorious chance to reach the last 32 of the Europa League, and are no longer underdogs in this group.
Spartak Moscow are the next visitors to Ibrox on Thursday night. Many have Rangers down as strong favorites for this one, and no wonder. Moscow are coming into the match on the back of a crisis. They’ve sacked their manager and are arriving in Glasgow bossed by a glorified fitness coach.
Gerrard has to be looking at three points there, and another potential one in the away match in Russia.
Everyone’s in crisis
Then there’s Rapid Vienna. Another club who have went through perhaps an even bigger crisis in recent weeks. They too sacked their manager ahead of their trip to Ibrox, and unsurprisingly lost 3-1 to Gerrard’s rampant Gers. Since then, they’ve beaten Mattersburg 1-0 before being hammered 3-0 at Hartberg, They remain in unconvincing condition.
And finally, Villarreal. Everyone’s favorites to top the group have struggled so far. Their opening day draw against Rangers was followed up by another point at Spartak Moscow. They continue to suffer from an injury crisis, and haven’t been able to obtain any momentum this season.
Out of the four teams in the group, Rangers are the only side riding the crest of a wave. They’re the only club with a bit of momentum, and the only side flowing with confidence. This is down to a mix of good performances and a belief from supporters in their club. The other three don’t seem to have that same luxury.
Sure, all three other sides have a strong level of quality. Rangers may not even qualify in the end. One thing is for sure, however, it’s time to rip the underdog status from the club in this winnable group.
